Some People Build Roots. Others Wander. Can Fulfillment Be Simple?

Back at the vineyard in Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, Max and I were in middle school. Once the hot days were over, Dad no longer needed our petites mains for the harvest and our petits pieds to crush grapes, and when we weren’t swimming in the river with Braise and Smokey, there wasn’t much left to do. So in winter, we spent our weekends and evenings playing a game on the computer. The goal was simple: make your character as powerful as possible. You started by creating a character, choosing its powers, name, gender, and colors. Continue reading Some People Build Roots. Others Wander. Can Fulfillment Be Simple?

Quotidien: Breaking Out of Daily Life: From Broadway to the Pompiers—a Hot Show and a Fire!

Kristi here. It’s my daughter’s turn to write today so you’re sure to get a spicy update! Today’s special includes a little cabaret, some trendy press-on nails, and… another glowing spectacle outside Jackie and Vin’s apartment. Don’t miss a word! TODAY’S WORD: le quotidien : daily life; everyday routinePRONUNCIATION: [luh – koh – tee – dee – ahn] EXAMPLE SENTENCE:Certains jours nous sortent du quotidien … Continue reading Quotidien: Breaking Out of Daily Life: From Broadway to the Pompiers—a Hot Show and a Fire!

Pastis & Bagels: A Foot in Each World

A warm bonjour from sunny La Ciotat. A mini update before we begin reading our chapter du jour. Today is Ana’s 30th birthday: Joyeux anniversaire, chère Ana. Also, Jean-Marc and his sister are about to begin this year’s “carénage” (sanding and repainting of our old wooden boat). I’m about to head off to the gym after editing this post. Enjoy the pictures that accompany Jackie’s … Continue reading Pastis & Bagels: A Foot in Each World

Doomscrolling in French & New and Better Habits

TODAY’S WORD: cette fois-ci, c’est la bonne : this time it will work; this time’s the one PRONUNCIATION: set fwah see say la bun CETTE FOIS-CI, C’EST LA BONNE by Jacqueline Espinasse Here is a French saying you use when you’re convinced it will work this time—even if you’re a little delusional. Let me give you some examples. • You are trying to score at … Continue reading Doomscrolling in French & New and Better Habits

Plouf! A Big Little Leak in My New City

Before I begin today’s story—Jackie’s story—a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has already ordered a copy of our newly released book. Seeing our mother-daughter stories gathered together in one place, along with your positive feedback, has been such a joy. With your help launching this colorful series—books teeming with photos and French—we will be able to reach readers who have yet to discover A … Continue reading Plouf! A Big Little Leak in My New City

Strong Values & The Art of Having Fun in a Storm

Salut! Enjoy today’s story by my youngest, Jackie—and thank you, as always, for reading. I’ll be back next week with an exciting update from us both, something we’ve been working toward for a long time. Profitez de l’histoire d’aujourd’hui, écrite par ma benjamine, Jackie, et merci, comme toujours, de nous lire. Je serai de retour la semaine prochaine avec une belle nouvelle de notre part … Continue reading Strong Values & The Art of Having Fun in a Storm

Des Histoires de Noël: Christmas in New York

Des histoires de Noël I had promised myself the evening before that I would attend church. But on Sunday morning, I found myself hesitant about going, as always. This time, though, it felt extra daunting because it was the annual Christmas pageant. I thought a pageant was un défilé. I associated it with glamour, because of the beauty pageants I grew up watching on television in … Continue reading Des Histoires de Noël: Christmas in New York

Repartir à Zéro: A French Lesson in Beginning Again

TODAY’S WORD: REPARTIR À ZÉRO : to start over, to begin againPRONUNCIATION: [reh-par-teer ah zeh-ro] EXAMPLE SENTENCE:Elle a tout quitté pour repartir à zéro.She left everything behind to start over. For your holiday gift-giving, pensez à mon livre — a little Provence under the tree. Order here. Repartir à Zéro “Any plans for Christmas?” is the question I got asked at least 20 times this week. Exactly a … Continue reading Repartir à Zéro: A French Lesson in Beginning Again

A French Phrase for Life in the Fast Lane

TODAY’S WORD: coller au cul : to be right on someone’s heelsPRONUNCIATION: [koh-lay oh kew] EXAMPLE SENTENCE:Il me colle au cul, celui-là ! → That person is right on my heels! The French word cul literally means “bottom,” and while it can sound a bit cheeky (or downright rude) in some contexts, it’s also part of many everyday expressions. You’ll see it in perfectly polite phrases like cul-de-sac (a dead-end street) or à pied … Continue reading A French Phrase for Life in the Fast Lane

La Ferme: Social Skills & The Scent of Volunteering

BOOK NEWS: I’m happy to share that A Year in a French Life is now available in a digital format — at half the price of the printed edition.You can read it on your laptop, IPad, tablet, or phone. Enjoy the photos and vocabulary anywhere, anytime!👉 Order your digital copy here. TODAY’S WORD: la ferme = the farmPRONUNCIATION: [lah fehrm] EXAMPLE SENTENCE:J’ai fait du bénévolat à la ferme samedi dernier.I volunteered at the farm … Continue reading La Ferme: Social Skills & The Scent of Volunteering